Doubts about Italy's ability to finalise EU constitution

Italy's centre-right government led by billionaire businessman Silvio Berlusconi is not well-placed to finish work on the European Union's first constitution, Sweden's foreign minister said yesterday.

Italy holds the rotating presidency of the EU until the end of the year and Berlusconi's hopes to crown his six months at the helm of the 15-nation bloc by making sure the historic European Constitution is a success.

The draft treaty, which aims to shake up EU institutions widely criticised as inefficient and prevent decision-making from grinding to a halt when the EU admits 10 new members next May, will be subject to delicate negotiations between member state leaders at an intergovernmental conference this autumn.

"I don't think the prospects are very good for Italy to finish this intergovernmental conference," Foreign Minister Anna Lindh told Swedish public service SR radio news.

EU leaders are due to launch final discussions in Rome in October and Berlusconi hopes to have the process largely complete by the end of the year, paving the way for a formal signing ceremony in the first half of 2004.

"To carry out such a task requires a large political contact network, broad possibilities to compromise, a good political touch and strong support in other countries," Lindh said.

Lindh, a prominent member of Sweden's long-ruling centre-left Social Democrats, said that would be difficult for Italy because Berlusconi's government did not enjoy strong support elsewhere in Europe.

At the start of the Italian EU presidency from July 1, Berlusconi and a junior minister caused a diplomatic furore by publicly insulting Germans.